Benson Lake
Vilas County, Wisconsin28 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Benson Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Rusty Crayfish
- 15 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Benson Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 10.6 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 15 ft. Surface area: 28 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Benson Lake. DNR survey details →
Benson Lake is a 28-acre lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 15 feet. The lake supports 7 documented fish species including Musky, Panfish, and Largemouth Bass. Public access is available.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2023-09-21. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Benson Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water10.6 ft of visibility
- Fishing7 species recorded
Swimming conditions
No readingLimited data
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Benson Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Benson Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Benson Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Good clarity, visible to about 10.6 ft. TSI 43.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 10.6ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | No reading The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. | |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | No reading The green pigment in algae — a direct measure of how much algae is in the water. | |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 43 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Benson Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Benson Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Benson Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 2 years of monitoring is stable. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
WI DNR Lake Profile
Authoritative data from the Wisconsin DNR LakePages. 1 station on file (most recent sample 2023).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
Max depth
15 ft
Surface area
28 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
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Stays near Benson Lake
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Benson Lake
Invasive & Introduced Species
Red chips are ecologically harmful invasive species. Gray chips are stocked or introduced fish that aren't a current ecological concern.
Water quality readings over time
2 seasons of samples on record (2020–2023). Calling a direction takes at least 4 years of the same measurement.
Water clarity
Stable2 years
Nearby Lakes in Vilas County
Frequently asked questions about Benson Lake
Where is Benson Lake?
- Benson Lake is a lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Benson Lake?
- Benson Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 10.6 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 15 ft. Surface area: 28 acres.
Is Benson Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Benson Lake?
- Benson Lake has a maximum depth of 15 feet. The lake covers 28 acres.
What fish are in Benson Lake?
- Fish species found in Benson Lake include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye, Sturgeon. Benson Lake is located in Vilas County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Benson Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Benson Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Benson Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 2 years of monitoring is stable. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Can I fish at Benson Lake?
- Public access to Benson Lake is listed as yes on the lake record. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Wisconsin's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
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Where this data comes from
10 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX10 samples · 2020–2023
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from and data sources.
Other records on this page
Fish and recreation data from Wisconsin DNR Lakes